What are the biggest barriers preventing your generation from getting ahead financially?

The easiest solution is to play the blame game. Focus your anger.

“The nominees for biggest barrier preventing you getting ahead are … Mr Wilson in Abysmal Economics Teacher … your parents in Woeful Examples … the Government for Needless Interference … and … South Park’s Future People (‘They took our jobs!’)

“And the winner is … um, let me confer with the judges (whispers). Apparently, this is correct. The winner is … YOU! (Wild applause.) Congratulations!”

Look no further – it’s all our fault. As a generation, Xers have no-one to blame. The Slacker Generation needs to accept it has grown up. Financially, we are in “The Zone” – our incomes are rising and we’re the most employable generation.

Individually, some do it tough. As a generation, we are plum out of excuses.

The biggest barrier is your own noggin. Possibly the only barrier. If you can’t get ahead, feel you’re being held back, or money slips through your fingers, the solution lies in your head.

The reason most people struggle financially isn’t because they have an income problem. It’s because they have a spending problem.

Learn the difference between “need” and “want”. You need a car. You want a nice new one. You need food. You want to eat at restaurants. Your kids need to be schooled. You want them to go to private.

They are all financial choices. We face them dozens of times a day. Rewire your brain to know the difference. It’s the only way, because the chances of you winning Lotto are one in eight million.

Bruce Brammall is the author of Debt Man Walking (www.debtman.com.au) and principal adviser with Castellan Financial Consulting.